


Tahani/Eleanor Attempt 218 - A confession Sequel

by Seriesthoughts



Series: The Good Place series [2]
Category: The Good Place (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:13:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29428638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seriesthoughts/pseuds/Seriesthoughts
Summary: So someone asked on my AO3 account for a sequel about my Tahani/Eleanor one shot. Here it is !I hope you like it !
Relationships: Tahani Al-Jamil/Eleanor Shellstrop
Series: The Good Place series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2161755
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	Tahani/Eleanor Attempt 218 - A confession Sequel

As far as she could remember, Eleanor had never been in love. Of course, her lack of knowledge about her current life, being the 218th attempt of Michael’s schemes, while attempt 119 was one where she really confessed her feelings to Chidi, didn’t help convince her otherwise.

But if she knew about all these, she would soon realize that not only they brought her back everytime to revolve around Chidi, but to Tahani as well. No matter how hard Michael sometimes worked to keep them apart.

And she couldn’t deny she had developed strong feelings for the tall brunette that shared her life. Even though she wasn’t entirely comfortable with it, she knew deep down that it wasn’t just about physical attraction.

But as life didn’t spare her, she never learned how to express such things, let alone accept it. And she didn’t need any therapy to tell her about what it came from : love was never her parents’ strong suit.

Never receiving it, and mostly being made fun of when she dared ask for it, when she was still little and hopeful, had made her grow into a careless detached person who would never see the purpose about caring for others.

So she had evolved into a selfish person who would only look after herself. If noone would take her into account, why should she grant her fellows any consideration ?

She had spent so much time on Earth, protecting herself from the rest of the world, never to grow closer to anyone, that she had no clue how she could revert back.

Her prior relationships had all ended when she started catching the slightest bit of emotion. So naturally, this felt like totally uncharted territory.

More often than not, she felt queasy around the gorgeous aristocrat that entered her world so suddenly. If only she knew they had been knowing each other for years through all of Michael’s fails, maybe she would have been more comfortable around her.

Or she would have been even more abashed by the situation she was currently in.

No matter how much she would push back these thoughts, she couldn’t completely shy away from her true feelings though. She might have been playing dumb, but truth be told, she wasn’t.

And the more she rejected the idea, the more it popped up, even though she didn’t want it to.

Naturally, her mind always came back to that first night they shared in the same bed, which was followed by many others. Each time they got naked, they seemed to grow closer and it was getting easier to know each other, body and soul.

Even though it was amazing from the start, their sexual encounters became only better with time. It was like they were slowly remembering each other’s body, which they already knew by heart.

The reactions of her lover, the things she loved in bed, the stuff that made her graze craziness. Everything felt so familiar. It was putting her at ease and helping her grow coy at the same time.

Nevertheless, she was getting used to live with Tahani as much as the latter learned to be in sync with her. They had been sometimes at each other’s throat at first, being very different from one another. But now they were finding their footing more and more.

To the point where, one day, Michael was trying out a new scheme and invited them both to a retreat with several other couples.

Of course, Eleanor didn’t want to go. But since she was working with Chidi towards being better, she couldn’t disappoint Michael who was obviously beaming at the idea of doing what he thought was a nice gesture.

Little did she know it was all a plan to drive them mad even further.

Since she confessed to Tahani about the mistake they made by sending her to the Good Place, the latter knew instantly she only felt cornered into acceptance. That’s why she wanted to help her out.

So when Eleanor finally closed the door after thanking Michael, she offered a suggestion.

\- Or I could pretend to feel sick right before we have to leave and you’ll stay here, as a good Samaritan, to take care of me ? She said, with a slightly seductive tone.

Instantly picking on the double meaning of that sentence, Eleanor felt suddenly very hot for Tahani. Not to mention, her heart grew softer at the idea that the brunette would do this for her.

With that perfect alternative in mind, her answer flew right out of her mouth so fast she couldn’t control it.

\- Oh my god, I love you so much !

As soon as it left her lips, every color drained from her face while she cursed herself silently. As far as her memories went back, she knew she had only said this twice : to Stone Cold Steve Austin and a guy she mistook for him in a dark club.

But the true, raw emotion ? It was a first. So she immediately tried to take it back, drowning it in a false pretense.

\- I mean I love that you thought of that, she tried with a shaky voice. Way to go hot stuff. Up top !

She put her hand in the air, hoping for Tahani not to leave her hanging. The latter responded to the awkward save, letting it go as she knew perfectly how Eleanor worked by now.

With due time, she might be able to talk it out with her. But it was too soon to even attempt to make her accept the fact she just blurted out her feelings so easily.

\- Also, thanks babe, but I really need to commit to this “getting better” thing. I really think we should go, she kept ranting, trying to drift the conversation even further. Actually, might as well start packing right now.

And she left the room to do exactly that. Tahani couldn’t repress a smile though, realizing not only did she felt flustered by this, but she also went for the trip so she could avoid talking about it.

And as Tahani understood her much better now than when they met, she knew it could only mean one thing : Eleanor wasn’t a big fan about feelings. But when she did get them out by mistake, it was only genuine.

-

Although Tahani wasn’t taken aback by finding out Eleanor fell for her, she was actually thankful for the time the trip gave them to both think it through.

With the family she had, Tahani was used to say the word “love”. But it mostly applied to things, not people. So naturally, she wanted to respond and find a way to confess as well. She just had no idea where to start.

As far as she could recall, her family had always been about making her compete with her sister. A competition that ended up being for their parents love, even though it was a prize they would never get.

So she was faced with a contradiction. On one hand, love had always been a goal for her to achieve, and she still felt incomplete by the time she died. On the other, she had no idea what it would feel like to ever get it. Let alone allowing herself to feel it.

Needless to say, she was a lady born and raised into class. And hugs and love display like kisses or else, were not welcomed in their home.

And her parents were everything but lenient. So everytime she felt like trying it, they had squashed her hopes down to nothing.

One might argue she had already let herself go, having been doing naked dirty things to a common Arizona girl who had filth in her words. In more ways than she could count, Tahani was out of her league.

But even though Eleanor was away from many of her standards, she couldn’t help but feel at home.

\- Screw decency, she thought, a little shocked at her own outburst.

As she was mulling over her past, she soon realized how stupid this all was. She needed to outgrow it. Anyhow, it didn’t matter as she was dead and buried. Who was coming to complain, really ?

No matter the hardships, she swore to herself she would find a way to make this work. Starting by making the blonde understand how much she was infatuated with her as well, as soon as they would be back in their own home.

Home. Tahani couldn’t help but smile, thinking about how she shared a house with the most beautiful and amazing woman she ever met. As unexpected as she was, Eleanor was the real deal.

-

\- Boy, that trip was... something, Eleanor tried as soon as they passed the front door, taking her coat out.

Although she wanted to pretend she had a good time, she couldn’t just blatantly lie about this. So she offered some platitude, hoping Tahani wouldn’t read too much into it.

They had been retreating with two other couples for a week, hoping to get some time apart to think. Oblivious to Michael schemes, they didn’t realize he might have picked up on it, because they just cursed their bad luck when every situation put them even closer.

So with time, it had been more and more difficult to avoid each other, let alone pretend there was no awkwardness between them.

\- Eleanor... Tahani called out softly after her.

As much as the Arizona girl didn’t want to have the conversation, she sighed and turned to her lover. She could keep trying to avoid it, or she could just outright say it.

Convinced she knew what Tahani was about to say, she spoke first.

\- Alright, I know. I’m sorry about what I said. I know you’re not feeling the same. I mean, how could you ? I’m Arizona trash, the worst of the worst. I shouldn’t even be here. I’m not even that hot, especially compared to you. But if you can just do me a favor and pretend like it never happened, maybe we can keep going ? I mean, until I’m obviously ejected from this world towards endless torture or something.

As Tahani fell silent for a bit, Eleanor gulped, growing worried. She thought she had pushed away the most beautiful thing that ever happened to her. But the latter was only hurt Eleanor would think such horrible things about herself.

She might have come off as harsh in the beginning. But now that she knew her better, she couldn’t agree with what she was hearing, even in the slightest.

So she smiled softly, ready to prove her wrong.

\- Eleanor... you are... a lot of things. But bad isn't one of them. You make me feel seen, truly seen for the first time in my life, well death, she couldn’t help but correct.

Eleanor chuckled, but kept listening. She was already missing her breath, but Tahani wasn’t done.

\- What I mean is... you might not have been the best when you were alive, but you're trying so hard. I love so many things about you. And even though you're not supposed to be here, I think this world got the soulmate thing right with us. I wouldn't have it any other way. So no, I don’t wanna pretend it never happened. Instead, I’ll ask you this : Will you keep being my soulmate and navigates this with me ?

Dumbfounded, it took a while for Eleanor to respond. Taking into account that genuine loving speech Tahani just gave her, she blinked and her heart grew soft for the woman who had been sharing her afterlife with her so far.

\- I will, she finally managed to reply. In fact, it would be my honor.

\- Good, because I love you too.Tahani said, offering her hand for her to take.

But then, she felt compelled to add to her speech. Although it had been the most emotional thing she had said to anyone in her life, she thought something was missing.

There was a sentence that stuck in her head while Eleanor talked badly about herself. As a reminder of their old lives was also struggling to come out, she couldn’t help but speak up.

\- Not to mention, you have a rocking bod’.

Both stopped in their tracks as another old reminiscence seemed to push through the memory wipe. They couldn’t quite put their finger on it, but as Tahani felt she heard this somewhere, Eleanor knew inwardly that someone else had been saying it.

Suddenly, they grew even closer, as they both agreed they would somehow get to the bottom of this.

Although for now, it didn’t matter : They were perfectly content as they were.

Tahani and Eleanor didn’t know they were in the Bad Place. But no matter when they would learn about it in the future, from now on, they would always know this as an ultimate truth : maybe The Good Place wasn’t a place after all, but the people you spent eternity with.

And regardless any hardship they could face, being together definitely felt like paradise.


End file.
